Joy Pfuhl has been a practicing physical therapist for over 30 years; she still loves her chosen career and thus sometimes finds it difficult to refer to it as work. Joy has always been interested in health, fitness, and sports; she feels fortunate to “live her passions” through her profession. Her goal in working with clients is to help them maximize function, fitness, and self-empowerment. Joy feels privileged to be a part of the process and she is rewarded by her client’s success.
Joy received a BS in Biology and a Masters of Physical Therapy from the University of Iowa. Upon graduation, she worked at Duke University in outpatient physical therapy. She then moved to Charlotte with her husband to work for a national Rehabilitation Company. After a few years as a clinic manager, she accepted a position with this same company as a Regional Director of Operations. A desire to create a practice with a holistic and individual-focused approach led her and partner Joyce to start their “boutique” PT practice in South Charlotte.
With a focus on manual therapy, women’s health, and a holistic approach to musculoskeletal dysfunction and fitness, Joy works to build a customized physical therapy plan for each client. Before loading the musculoskeletal system with exercise, she takes the time to focus on manual care to improve mechanics and imbalances. Once mechanics are improved, she works with clients to successfully maximize strength, function, and mobility through an appropriate and monitored exercise progression.
In addition to her graduate degree, Joy has taken advanced coursework in Trigger Point Dry Needling and Orthopedic Manual Therapy (Maitland-Australian Physiotherapy Seminars and Institute of Physical Art). While Joy works with all ages and genders, she has a passion for women’s health. She specializes in treating pelvic disorders that have caused pain, anxiety, and lack of mobility and function.
The focus on fitness can be seen in both Joy’s practice and in her personal life. Outside of work, her hobbies include hiking, biking, kayaking, and walking. At KCP, you’ll find Joy leading fitness classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Through the in-person and virtual classes, Joy ensures that her classes offer a challenging activity level but always focus on strength-building and injury prevention. Again, taking a personalized approach, Joy helps clients modify exercises based on their particular profiles.
Joy is a member of the national APTA as well as the NC Chapter APTA. She lives in South Charlotte with her husband, Dan. Two dogs keep them company while son Christopher is away at college.